Chelsea player ratings as Nicolas Jackson stars in rampant victory over dismal West Ham

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Nicolas Jackson scored a superb double as Chelsea swept past West Ham with a 3-0 victory to maintain their 100 per cent record on the road in the Premier League this season.

Chelsea had not won at the London Stadium since 2021 but it took the visitors just four minutes to find an opener through Nicolas Jackson, who played a neat one-two with Jadon Sancho before slotting the ball through Alphonse Areola’s legs with ease.

Julen Lopetegui’s Hammers were again caught napping in the 18th minute and deservedly punished, with an inspired Jackson finishing off a sweeping move to notch his second of the afternoon and sent the away end into raptures.

The visitors rode their luck as West Ham were denied a penalty before Mohammed Kudus had a goal disallowed for offside, but Cole Palmer put the game to bed with an emphatic finish from an angle just two minutes into the second half.

Substitute Joao Felix squandered two inviting opportunities to make it four but Enzo Maresca will be delighted with his side’s convincing performance.

The result sees Chelsea rise to second place on ten points behind reigning champions Manchester City, while West Ham remain 14th spot behind Tottenham.

Robert Sanchez – 6

Looked comfortable between the sticks for the most part, though was rarely tested by Lopetegui’s misfiring Irons.

Got down well to keep out a driven Tomas Soucek strike just moments after the midfielder’s introduction and denied Jarrod Bowen with a strong right hand shortly after Palmer’s strike at the start of the second half.

Marc Cucurella – 7

Cucurella appears a player reborn on the back of a tremendous showing at Euro 2024 with Spain earlier this summer and the left-back once again shone for Maresca’s side in the one-sided derby.

Proved a thorn in West Ham’s side throughout, occasionally slotting into midfield through the match and denying Mohammed Kudus with an important block midway through the first half.

Levi Colwill – 7

There are signs of a strong centre-back partnership developing between Tosin Adarabioyo and Colwill.

The England defender positioned himself perfectly to head the ball away to safety shortly after Jackson’s second to prevent the hosts from halving the deficit and produced a crucial clearance to deny Michail Antonio in the 58th minute.

Wesley Fofana – 5

There were signs of rustiness in Fofana’s performance and the defender was perhaps fortunate to escape unpunished after appearing to haul Crysencio Summerville down on the edge of the area on the half-hour mark.

Has had far better days in a Chelsea shirt but Maresca has shown that he is willing to be patient with the Frenchman given his injury woes over the last couple of seasons.

Tosin Adarabioyo – 7

Following a pair of starts in the Europa Conference League, Adarabioyo was given the nod for the first time in the Premier League and the central defender proved an assured presence at the back.

After arriving on a free transfer from Fulham in the summer, the 26-year-old could prove a savvy piece of business from Chelsea. A real plus for Maresca.

Enzo Fernandez – 7

Fernandez missed out against Bournemouth through illness and Chelsea’s stand-in captain Fernandez made up for lost time with an impressive, all-action display in the middle of the park.

Shone from both an attacking and defensive perspective and won his personal battle with Lucas Paqueta in the middle of the park.

Moises Caicedo – 8

Found Jackson with a perfect through ball as the Blues doubled their lead in the 18th minute against West Ham’s sleeping defence and shone going forward and from a defensive perspective.

Would have been a strong contender for the man-of-the-match award had it not been for Jackson’s stellar display.

Jadon Sancho – 8

Handed his first start for Chelsea, it took Sancho under four minutes to make his first significant contribution, with the England forward playing an exquisite one-two with Jackson for the opener.

Will have been desperate to get on the scoresheet himself but was brought off in the 64th minute, with Maresca keen to ease the load on the winger at the start of his Blues career.

Cole Palmer – 8

Palmer should perhaps have doubled Chelsea’s lead in the 12th minute but made up for the miss with an unstoppable 47th-minute strike to put the west London giants out of sight.

Combined brilliantly with Jackson and looked frustrated to be taken off for Nkunku, no doubt sensing blood with West Ham’s defenders showing signs of fatigue in the second period.

Noni Madueke – 6

Had a quiet start to the match but came close to making it three for Chelsea in the 37th minute, firing a low shot wide of Areola’s goal from a promising position.

The England man had a powerful effort parried away by Areola shortly after the hour-mark and almost found Christopher Nkunku with an inviting cross in the 75th minute.

Nicolas Jackson – 9

Undoubtedly Jackon’s finest performance in a Chelsea shirt.

Jackson has had his doubters since arriving at Chelsea last summer but the Senegal international continued his excellent start to the campaign, scoring two and setting up Palmer with a superb assist.

SUBSTITUTES

Pedro Neto – 7

Caused West Ham’s tiring defence immediate problems after coming on in place of Sancho, making constant inroads down the left flack with his searing pace and trickery.

Axel Disasi – 6

Replaced Fofana on the right side of Maresca’s back four and should impressed to keep the dangerous Kudus quiet for the final 30 minutes.

Joao Felix – 5

With the game over as a contest, Joao Felix should really have made it four after replacing Palmer but fired into the side netting.

The Portugal international also squandered a golden chance deep into stoppage time, pulling a wayward effort wide of Areola’s up right.

Christopher Nkunku – 6

Looked certain to score Chelsea’s fourth of the afternoon in the 76th minute, only to be denied by a flying Areola save.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Failed to make a meaningful impact after being introduced with six minutes of normal time.